The Search Is On To Find the North West's Most Exciting Tech Start-Up

KPMG has started the search for the most exciting technology start-ups in North West has begun, with the launch of the annual KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK competition.

Launched by the firm’s Private Enterprise practice the competition, which has been running since 2013, has uncovered many outstanding tech businesses across the North West, as well as the wider UK winners such as What3Words, VividQ and HiiROC.

Last year St Helens-based Inovus Medical competed against almost 400 aspiring tech giants to be crowned Tech Innovator in the UK winner 2023. Inovus Medical won the competition by showcasing the technology they are using to provide a solution to the global surgeon shortage via their state-of-the-art digital surgery platform.

The competition is open to pure technology, tech-enabled, tech-led, or tech-driven businesses. Shortlisted entrants will be invited to pitch their innovations and present their growth plans to a panel of judges in the North West regional heat. The winners of each regional stage will then go on to the national final to be held in London in July this year. The overall winner will then go on to represent the UK at the global Web Summit later in the year where a panel of judges will crown the KPMG Private Enterprise Global Tech Innovator winner.

Commenting on the competition, Chris Stott, Office Senior Partner at KPMG in Manchester, said:

“There are a fantastic range of innovative start-ups in the North West. We were incredibly proud that Inovus Medical who were representing the region last year went on to win the UK final, shining a light on the incredible technologies and innovative solutions coming out of the UK.

“The competition is great at unearthing the region’s hidden gems and we look forward to supporting them in growing their businesses and providing access to vital networks and other founders. It also gives them the opportunity to showcase their business on a national, and potentially global stage, while fine-tuning their value proposition. So, for any founders looking to increase the profile of their tech business, please do apply to become KPMG’s next Tech Innovator in the UK winner. Hopefully the North West can retain its crown as being home to the Tech Innovator in the UK winner.”

Dr Elliot Street, co-founder of last year’s competition winner Inovus Medical added:

“Entering KPMG's Tech Innovator in the UK competition has been valuable to our business; offering great exposure to a network of peers, amazing content, and exposure from the KPMG team which really helped us ‘cut through the noise’ and get noticed by the right people. If you are growing a tech company, putting yourself forward for the competition is a must as it is packed with the best tech innovators across the country. The competition is just the start, KPMG have been a big supporter of what has been a major growth journey since entering the competition.”

Applications are now open for the UK competition at https://kpmg.com/uk/en/home/services/private-enterprise/tech-innovator-in-the-uk.html


Previous KPMG Tech Innovator in the UK winners:

2023 - Inovus Medical

2022 - HiiROC

2021 - FIDO Tech

2020 - VividQ

2019 - Humming Bird Technologies (acquired by Agreena)

2018 - Echo (acquired by McKesson UK) 

2017 - Safe To Net

2016 - What 3 Words

2015 - RefMe (acquired by education company Chegg, Inc)

2014 - Babylon Health (acquired eMed Healthcare UK)